Archaeologists in Britain recently excavated 1000-year-old treasure in an unusual location: a nuclear power plant construction site.
Oxford Cotswold Archeology (OCA) has announced the discovery, which consists of 321 silver coins, in a press release on January 7. The coins were found at the site of the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk, England.
The coins were issued between 1036 and 1044, the organization said – predating the Magna Carta by almost 200 years, and predating the Battle of Hastings by several decades. They were found in “mint condition” in a lead and cloth wrapping, in a bundle that researchers have likened to a Cornish pasty.
“The treasure was found at the intersection of two early medieval field ditches, a location that indicates deliberate concealment,” the organization describes. “The coins were carefully placed in a textile object, possibly a bag, and then wrapped tightly in lead foil.”
Oxford Cotswold Archeology (OCA) announced the discovery, which consists of 321 silver coins, in a recent press release. (Archaeology of Oxford Cotswold)
“This fantastic find gives us a great insight into the English monetary and political landscape of the 11th century.”
The coins in the hoard were issued during the reigns of three kings of the House of Wessex: Harold I (1036-40), Harthacnut (1040-2) and Edward the Confessor (1042-66). Most of the coins were minted in London, while others were made in the English cities of Thetford, Norwich, Ipswich, Lincoln and Stamford.
The coins were made during a “turbulent” period in English history: Harold and Harthacnut were both the sons of Cnut, whose father Sweyn Forkbeard became the first Danish king to rule England. Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, months before the Normans took control of England after the Battle of Hastings.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS STUNNED BY STRANGE ALIEN FIGURINE THAT DATES 7,000 YEARS: ‘RAISES QUESTIONS’
Archaeologists say the bundle of coins would have been enough to buy several cows in the 1000s. (Archaeology of Oxford Cotswold)
Archaeologists believe the owner of the coins may have been robbed during a regime change, possibly when Edward was crowned in 1043.
“In particular, some of the wealthier individuals associated with the previous regime were exiled or had property confiscated in the aftermath of Edward’s coronation,” the OCA explained. “The owner of the coin hoard may have feared the consequences of regime change and decided to bury their wealth as collateral, with the aim of retrieving it at a later date.”
“We may never know for sure why this little treasure was never recovered,” the organization added. “It may be that the owner was unable to return to the site for various reasons, died before he could recover his savings, or, alternatively, was unable to move the exact spot where he was buried.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
The coins were minted in several cities in the early 11th century, archaeologists believe. (Archaeology of Oxford Cotswold)
In total, the 321 coins recovered would have been worth 320 pence as they contained two halfpence coins. The archaeological organization said it was difficult to estimate what purchasing power it would have today, but that it was comparable to a ‘piggy bank’.
‘Although it is difficult to equate this sum of money with today’s purchasing power, the laws of the United States show 10th and 11th centuries suggest the cattle were worth about 20 cents each,” the OCA explained. “Based on this measure, we would estimate it could have bought about 16 cows – a small herd!”
While it is certainly a hoard of money, archaeologists said the treasure would be more likely to be equivalent to the savings of a wealthy person rather than the entire wealth of a king.
For more lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle.
“This treasure is also not of a massive size indicative of extreme wealth,” the statement said. “(The owner) was almost certainly not of national importance or super-elite status. It is more likely that it was owned by a person with local influence, perhaps a wealthy farmer.”
The coins were the “piggy bank” of a wealthy person, experts say, and did not belong to a king. (Archaeology of Oxford Cotswold)
In a statement, OCA coin specialist Alexander Bliss said analyzing the treasure will involve “input from multiple specialists and project partners in the fields of numismatics, finds and conservation.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“This new coin hoard gives us valuable insight into the rich historical background of this period, and adds to the evidence that Edward the Confessor’s accession to the English throne was marked by a degree of uncertainty and anxiety within wider society ,” Bliss said. “It has been an honor and a privilege to play a small role in bringing the story to life.”
